497 1 sba497filing.htm

December 31, 2004

prospectus

T. Rowe Price

Short-Term
Bond Fund—
Advisor Class

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A bond fund seeking higher than money market income and minimal share price fluctuation. This class of shares is sold only through financial intermediaries.

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The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

December 31, 2004

Prospectus

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these
securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

1	About the Fund
	Objective, Strategy, Risks, and Expenses	1
	Other Information About the Fund	5
	Some Basics of Fixed-Income Investing	7

2	Information About Accounts in T. Rowe Price Funds
	Pricing Shares and Receiving Sale Proceeds	10
	Useful Information on Distributionsand Taxes	13
	Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements	17
	Distribution, Shareholder Servicing, and Recordkeeping Fees	19

3	More About the Fund
	Organization and Management	20
	Understanding Performance Information	22
	Investment Policies and Practices	23
	Disclosure of Fund Portfolio Information	32
	Financial Highlights	33

4	Investing With T. Rowe Price
	Account Requirements and Transaction Information	35
	Purchasing Additional Shares	36
	Exchanging and Redeeming Shares	37
	Rights Reserved by the Funds	37
	T. Rowe Price Privacy Policy	39

Founded in 1937 by the late Thomas Rowe Price, Jr., T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (T. Rowe Price), and its affiliates managed $212 billion for more than eight million individual and institutional investor accounts as of September 30, 2004. T. Rowe Price is the fund`s investment manager.

Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depository institution. Shares are not insured by the FDIC, Federal Reserve, or any other government agency, and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.

T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund—Advisor Class

T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund, Inc.

T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond Fund—Advisor Class

About the Fund 1

objective, strategy, risks, and expenses

A word about the fund`s name and structure. The Advisor Class is a share class of its respective T. Rowe Price fund and is not a separate mutual fund. The shares are designed to be sold only through brokers, dealers, banks, insurance companies, and other financial intermediaries that provide various distribution and administrative services.

What is the fund`s objective?

The fund seeks a high level of income consistent with minimal fluctuation in principal value and liquidity.

What is the fund`s principal investment strategy?

The fund will invest in a diversified portfolio of short- and intermediate-term investment-grade corporate, government, and mortgage-backed securities. We may also invest in bank obligations, collateralized mortgage obligations, foreign securities, and hybrids. Normally, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in bonds. The fund`s average effective maturity will not exceed three years. The fund will only purchase securities that are rated within the four highest credit categories (AAA, AA, A, BBB) by at least one national rating agency or, if unrated, that have a T. Rowe Price equivalent rating.

Within this broad structure, investment decisions reflect the manager`s outlook for interest rates and the economy as well as the prices and yields of the various securities. For example, if rates are expected to fall, the manager may seek longer-term securities (within the fund`s program) that would provide higher yields and appreciation potential.

The fund may also invest in other securities, including futures, options, and swaps, in keeping with its objective.

The fund may sell holdings for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust the portfolio`s average maturity or quality or to shift assets into higher-yielding securities or different sectors.

For details about the fund`s investment program, please see the Investment Policies and Practices section.

What are the main risks of investing in the fund?

Unlike money market funds, which are managed to maintain a stable share price, the fund`s price can decline. The share price, yield, and overall return will be affected by the following:

Interest rate risk This is the risk that an increase in interest rates will likely cause the fund`s share price to fall, resulting in a loss of principal (see Table 3). That`s because the bonds and notes in the fund`s portfolio become less attractive to other investors when securities with higher yields become available. Even GNMAs and other securities whose principal and interest payments are guaranteed can decline in price if rates rise. Generally speaking, the longer a bond`s maturity, the greater its potential for price declines if rates rise and for price gains if rates fall. If the fund purchases longer-maturity bonds and interest rates rise unexpectedly, the fund`s price could decline.

Credit risk This is the chance that any of the fund`s holdings will have their credit ratings downgraded or will default (fail to make scheduled interest or principal payments), potentially reducing the fund`s income level and share price.

Most investment-grade (AAA through BBB) securities should have relatively low financial risk and a relatively high probability of future payment. However, securities rated BBB are more susceptible to adverse economic conditions and may have speculative characteristics. If the fund invests in securities whose issuers develop unexpected credit problems, the fund`s price could decline.

The fund may continue to hold a security that has been downgraded or loses its investment-grade rating after purchase.

Prepayment risk and extension risk A mortgage-backed bond, unlike most other bonds, can be hurt when interest rates fall because homeowners tend to refinance and prepay principal. Receiving increasing prepayments in a falling interest rate environment causes the average maturity of the portfolio to shorten, reducing its potential for price gains. It also requires the fund to reinvest proceeds at lower interest rates, which reduces the portfolio`s total return and yield, and may even cause certain bond prices to fall below the level the fund paid for them, resulting in a capital loss. Any of these developments could result in a decrease in the fund`s income, share price, or total return.

Extension risk refers to a rise in interest rates that causes a fund`s average maturity to lengthen unexpectedly due to a drop in mortgage prepayments. This would increase the fund`s sensitivity to rising rates and its potential for price declines.

Foreign investing risk To the extent the fund holds foreign bonds, it will be subject to special risks, whether the bonds are denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign

currencies. These risks include potentially adverse political and economic developments overseas, greater volatility, lower liquidity, and the possibility that foreign currencies will decline against the dollar, lowering the value of securities denominated in those currencies and possibly the fund`s share price.

Derivatives risk To the extent the fund uses futures, swaps, and other derivatives, it is exposed to additional volatility and potential losses.

As with any mutual fund, there can be no guarantee the fund will achieve its objective.

The share price and income level of the fund will fluctuate with changing market conditions and interest rate levels. When you sell your shares, you may lose money.

How can I tell if the fund is appropriate for me?

Consider your investment goals, your time horizon for achieving them, and your tolerance for risk. The fund is designed for individuals seeking a higher level of income than money market funds provide and who are able to accept the risk of modest price declines. If you are investing through an intermediary and are investing primarily for principal safety and liquidity, you should consider a money market fund.

The fund can be used in both regular and tax-deferred accounts, such as IRAs.

The fund should not represent your complete investment program or be used for short-term trading purposes.

How has the fund performed in the past?

Short-Term Bond Fund—Advisor Class began operations on December 31, 2004, and does not have a full calendar year of performance history. As a point of comparison, however, the following bar chart and table show calendar year returns for the oldest existing class of the Short-Term Bond Fund. Because the Short-Term Bond Fund—Advisor Class is expected to have higher expenses than the oldest existing class of the Short-Term Bond Fund, its performance, had it existed over the periods shown, would have been lower. The oldest existing class of the Short-Term Bond Fund and the Short-Term Bond Fund—Advisor Class share the same portfolio.

The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index. Fund past returns (before and after taxes) are not necessarily an indication of future performance.

The fund can also experience short-term performance swings, as shown by the best and worst calendar quarter returns during the years depicted.

In addition, the average annual total returns table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to suggest how taxes paid by the shareholder may influence returns. Actual after-tax returns depend on each investor`s situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant if the shares are held in a tax-deferred account, such as a 401(k) or IRA. During periods of fund losses, the post-liquidation after-tax return may exceed the fund`s other returns because the loss generates a tax benefit that is factored into the result.

The fund`s return for the six months ended 6/30/04 was 0.08%.

Table 1 Average Annual Total Returns

	Periods ended December 31, 2003
	1 year	5 years	10 years
Short-Term Bond Fund
Returns before taxes	3.72%	5.63%	5.09%
Returns after taxes on distributions	2.55	3.62	2.89
Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares	2.41	3.54	2.93
Lehman Brothers 1-3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Index	2.82	5.79	5.90
Lipper Short Investment Grade Debt Funds Average	2.51	4.95	5.15

Returns are based on changes in principal value, reinvested dividends, and capital gain distributions, if any. Returns before taxes do not reflect effects of any income or capital gains taxes. Taxes are computed using the highest federal income tax rate. The after-tax returns reflect the rates applicable to ordinary and qualified dividends and capital gains effective in 2003. The returns do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares assume the shares were sold at period-end and, therefore, are also adjusted for any capital gains or losses incurred by the shareholder. Market indexes do not include expenses, which are

deducted from fund returns, or taxes.

Lehman Brothers 1-3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Index tracks U.S. government debt obligations and U.S. corporate and foreign bonds maturing within one to three years.

What fees and expenses will I pay?

The numbers in the next table provide an estimate of how much it will cost to operate the Advisor Class for a year. These are costs you pay indirectly because they are deducted from net assets before the daily share price is calculated.

Table 2 Fees and Expenses of the Advisor Class*

	Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that are deducted from fund assets)
Management fee	0.41%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees	0.25%
Other expenses	0.19%
Total annual fund operating expenses	0.85%a

*Redemption proceeds of less than $5,000 sent by wire are subject to a $5 fee paid to the fund. Accounts with less than a $2,000 balance (with certain exceptions) are subject to a $10 fee.

aTo limit the class`s expenses during its initial period of operations, T. Rowe Price contractually obligated itself to bear any expenses and/or waive its fees through September 30, 2007, which would cause the class`s ratio of expenses to average net assets to exceed 0.85%. Fees paid or assumed or fees waived under this agreement are subject to reimbursement to T. Rowe Price by the fund whenever the class`s expense ratio is below 0.85%; however, no reimbursement will be made more than three years after any waiver or payment, or if it would result in the expense ratio exceeding 0.85%. Any amounts reimbursed will have the effect of increasing fees otherwise paid by the class.

Example. The following table gives you an idea of how expense ratios may translate into dollars and helps you to compare the cost of investing in this class with that of other mutual funds. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, the table shows how much you would pay if operating expenses remain the same, the expense limitation currently in place is not renewed, you invest $10,000, earn a 5% annual return, hold the investment for the following periods, and then redeem:

1 year	3 years	5 years	10 years
$87	$271	$471	$1,049

other INFORMATION about the fund

What are the fund`s potential rewards?

The fund`s income level should generally be above that of a money market fund, but less than that of a long-term bond fund. Its share price should fluctuate less than a longer-term bond fund.

How does the portfolio manager try to reduce risk?

Consistent with the fund`s objective, the portfolio manager uses various tools to try to reduce risk and increase total return, including:

Diversification of assets to reduce the impact of a single holding or sector on the fund`s net asset value.

Thorough credit research by our own analysts.

Adjustment of fund duration to try to reduce the drop in price when interest rates rise or to benefit from the rise in price when rates fall. Duration is a measure of a fund`s sensitivity to interest rate changes.

Is the fund a substitute for a money market fund?

No. Money market funds, which have an average maturity under one year, ordinarily generate lower income in return for stability of net asset value. The fund`s total return is expected to fluctuate more than a money market fund`s and, as such, it should be viewed as a longer-term and riskier investment.

Do mortgage-backed securities differ from other high-quality bonds?

Yes, in one major respect. Non-mortgage bonds generally repay principal (face value of the bond) when their maturity date is reached, but most mortgage-backed securities repay principal continually as homeowners make mortgage payments. Homeowners have the option of paying either part or all of the loan balance before maturity, perhaps to refinance or buy a new home. As a result, the effective maturity of a mortgage-backed security is virtually always shorter than its stated maturity.

For example, a new Fannie Mae certificate backed by 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages will generally have a far shorter life than 15 years — probably seven or less. Therefore, it will usually be no more volatile than a 5- or 7-year Treasury note. It is possible to estimate the average life of an entire mortgage pool backing a particular security with some accuracy, but not with certainty.

Why are yields on mortgage-backed securities higher than yields on Treasuries of similar maturity?

The structure of mortgage-backed securities is much more complex and their effective maturities are uncertain because of unscheduled prepayments. Higher yields compensate investors for these potentially negative features. See the previous discussion of prepayment risk and extension risk.

What are derivatives and can the fund invest in them?

A derivative is a financial instrument whose value is derived from an underlying security such as a stock or bond or from a market benchmark, such as an interest rate index. Many types of investments representing a wide range of risks and potential rewards are derivatives, including conventional instruments such as callable bonds, futures, and options, as well as more exotic investments such as swaps and structured notes. Investment managers have used derivatives for many years.

Derivatives will be used only if the expected risks and rewards are consistent with fund objectives, policies, and overall risk profile as described in this prospectus. The fund uses derivatives in situations in which they may help accomplish the following: hedge against decline in principal value, increase yield, invest in eligible asset classes with greater efficiency and lower cost than is possible through direct investment, or adjust portfolio duration.

We will not invest in any high-risk, highly leveraged derivative that we believe would cause the portfolio to be more volatile than a three-year investment-grade bond.

Is there other information I can review before making a decision?

Investment Policies and Practices in Section 3 discusses various types of portfolio securities the fund may purchase as well as types of management practices the fund may use.

some basics of Fixed-Income investing

Is a fund`s yield fixed or will it vary?

It will vary. The yield is calculated every day by dividing a fund`s net income per share, expressed at annual rates, by the share price. Since both income and share price will fluctuate, a fund`s yield will also vary. (Although money fund prices are stable, income is variable.)

Is yield the same as total return?

Not for bond funds. A fund`s total return is the result of reinvested distributions from income and capital gains and the change in share price for a given period. Income is always a positive contributor to total return and can either enhance a rise in share price or help offset a price decline.

What is credit quality and how does it affect yield?

Credit quality refers to a bond issuer`s expected ability to make all required interest and principal payments on time. Because highly rated issuers represent less risk, they can borrow at lower interest rates than less creditworthy issuers. Therefore, a fund investing in high-quality securities should have a lower yield than an otherwise comparable fund investing in lower-quality securities.

What is meant by a bond fund`s maturity?

Every bond has a stated maturity date when the issuer must repay the bond`s entire principal value to the investor. However, many bonds are "callable," meaning their principal can be repaid earlier than, on, or after specified call dates. Bonds are most likely to be called when interest rates are falling because the issuer can refinance at a lower rate, just as a homeowner refinances a mortgage. In that environment, a bond`s "effective maturity" is usually its nearest call date. For example, the rate at which homeowners pay down their mortgage principal determines the effective maturity of mortgage-backed bonds.

A bond mutual fund has no real maturity, but it does have a weighted average maturity and a weighted average effective maturity. Each of these numbers is an average of the stated or effective maturities of the underlying bonds, with each bond`s maturity "weighted" by the percentage of fund assets it represents. (The fund`s average effective maturity is calculated by reference to the nearest call dates or coupon reset dates of the underlying holdings.) Some funds target effective maturities rather than stated maturities when computing the average. This provides additional flexibility in portfolio management.

What is meant by a bond fund`s duration?

Duration is a calculation that seeks to measure the price sensitivity of a bond or a bond fund to changes in interest rates. It is expressed in years, like maturity, but it is a better indicator of price sensitivity than maturity because it takes into account the time value of cash flows generated over the bond`s life. Future interest and principal payments are discounted to reflect their present value and then are multiplied by the number of years they will be received to produce a value expressed in years — the duration. "Effective" duration takes into account call features and sinking fund payments that may shorten a bond`s life.

Since duration can also be computed for bond funds, you can estimate the effect of interest rates on share prices by multiplying fund duration by an expected change in interest rates. For example, the price of a bond fund with a duration of five years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if rates rose by one percentage point. (T. Rowe Price shareholder reports show duration.)

How is a bond`s price affected by changes in interest rates?

When interest rates rise, a bond`s price usually falls, and vice versa. In general, the longer a bond`s maturity, the greater the price increase or decrease in response to a given change in rates, as shown in Table 3.Table 3 How Interest Rates Affect Bond Prices

		Price of a $1,000 face value bond if interest rates:
Bond maturity	Coupon	Increase		Decrease
		1 percent	2 percent	1 percent	2 percent
2 years	2.68%	$981	$962	$1,020	$1,040
5 years	3.77	956	914	1,046	1,095
10 years	4.58	924	855	1,083	1,175
30 years	5.29	866	758	1,168	1,380

Coupons reflect yields on Treasury securities as of June 30, 2004. The table may not be representative of price changes for mortgage-backed securities because of prepayments. This is an illustration and does not represent expected yields or share price changes of any T. Rowe Price fund.

Information About Accounts in T. Rowe Price Funds 2

As a T. Rowe Price shareholder, you will want to know about the following policies and procedures that apply to all Advisor Class accounts.

Pricing Shares and Receiving Sale Proceeds

How and when shares are priced

The share price (also called "net asset value" or NAV per share) for each class of shares is calculated at the close of the New York Stock Exchange, normally 4 p.m. ET, each day that the exchange is open for business. To calculate the NAV, the fund`s assets are valued and totaled, liabilities are subtracted, and each class`s proportionate share of the balance, called net assets, is divided by the number of shares outstanding of that class. Market values are used to price stocks and bonds.

The portfolio securities of funds investing in foreign markets are valued on the basis of the most recent closing market prices at 4 p.m. ET except under the circumstances described below. Most foreign markets close before 4 p.m. For securities primarily traded in the Far East, for example, the most recent closing prices may be as much as 15 hours old at 4 p.m. If a fund determines that developments between the close of the foreign market and 4 p.m. ET will, in its judgment, materially affect the value of some or all of the fund`s securities, the fund will adjust the previous closing prices to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities as of 4 p.m. ET. In deciding whether to make these adjustments, the fund reviews a variety of factors, including developments in foreign markets, the performance of U.S. securities markets, and the performance of instruments trading in U.S. markets that represent foreign securities and baskets of foreign securities. A fund may also fair value securities in other situations, for example, when a particular foreign market is closed but the fund is open.

The fund uses outside pricing services to provide it with closing market prices and information used for adjusting those prices. The fund cannot predict how often it will use closing prices and how often it will adjust those prices. As a means of evaluating its fair value process, the fund routinely compares closing market prices, the next day`s opening prices in the same markets, and adjusted prices.

How your purchase, sale, or exchange price is determined

Advisor Class shares are intended for purchase, and may be held only, through various third-party intermediaries including brokers, dealers, banks, insurance companies, retirement plan recordkeepers, and others. Consult your intermediary to find out about how to purchase, sell, or exchange your shares, trade deadlines, and other applicable procedures for these transactions. The intermediary may charge a fee for its services.

The fund may have an agreement with your intermediary that permits the intermediary to accept orders on behalf of the fund until 4 p.m. ET. In such cases, if your order is received by the intermediary in correct form by 4 p.m. ET, transmitted to the fund, and paid for in accordance with the agreement, it will be priced at the next NAV computed after the intermediary received your order.

Note: The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time until which orders are accepted by the fund or an intermediary may be changed in case of an emergency or if the New York Stock Exchange closes at a time other than 4 p.m. ET.

How proceeds are received

Normally, the fund transmits proceeds to intermediaries for redemption orders received in correct form on either the next or third business day after receipt, depending on the arrangement with the intermediary. Under certain circumstances and when deemed to be in the fund`s best interests, proceeds may not be sent to intermediaries for up to seven calendar days after receipt of the redemption order. You must contact your intermediary about procedures for receiving your redemption proceeds.

Contingent Redemption Fee

Short-term trading can disrupt a fund`s investment program and create additional costs for long-term shareholders. For these reasons, certain T. Rowe Price funds, listed below, assess a fee on redemptions (including exchanges) of fund shares held for less than the period shown, which reduces the proceeds from such redemptions by the amounts indicated:

T. Rowe Price Funds With Redemption Fees
Fund name	Redemption fee	Holding period
High Yield—Advisor Class	1%	90 days
International Bond—Advisor Class	2%	90 days
International Growth & Income—Advisor Class	2%	90 days
International Stock—Advisor Class	2%	90 days
Real Estate—Advisor Class	1%	90 days
Small-Cap Value—Advisor Class	1%	90 days

All persons holding shares of a T. Rowe Price fund that imposes a redemption fee are subject to the fee, whether the person is holding shares directly with a T. Rowe Price fund, through a retirement plan for which T. Rowe Price serves as recordkeeper, or indirectly through an intermediary, such as a broker, bank, investment adviser, recordkeeper for retirement plan participants, or any other third party.

Computation of holding period

Redemption fees are paid to a fund to deter short-term trading and help offset costs to protect the fund`s long-term shareholders. When an investor sells shares of a fund that assesses a redemption fee, T. Rowe Price will use the "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) method to determine the holding period for the shares sold. Under this method, the date of redemption or exchange will be compared with the earliest purchase date of shares held in the account. A redemption fee will be charged on shares sold before the end of the required holding period.

For example, for shares subject to a 90-day holding period, shares will be subject to a redemption fee if they are redeemed on or before the 90th day from the date of purchase. If shares are redeemed after the end of the holding period, they will not be subject to the redemption fee.

Intermediaries may have slight modifications to the holding periods (e.g., three months versus 90 days). If you are trading shares through an intermediary, consult your intermediary to determine how the holding period will be applied.

Transactions not subject to redemption fees

The T. Rowe Price funds will not assess a redemption fee with respect to certain transactions. At this time, the following shares of T. Rowe Price funds will not be subject to redemption fees:

1.Shares redeemed via an automated systematic withdrawal plan;

2.Shares redeemed through or used to establish an automated, nondiscretionary rebalancing or asset allocation program, if approved in writing by T. Rowe Price;

3.Shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions;*

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4.Shares purchased with retirement plan participant and employer contributions at the direction of a retirement plan participant or his or her beneficiary (e.g., payroll and rollover contributions, loan repayments);*

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5.Shares redeemed as part of a retirement plan participant-directed distribution including, but not limited to, the following examples:

a.Death distributions

b.Hardship withdrawals

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c.Loans

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d.Employment termination withdrawals

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e.Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs);

6.Shares redeemed as part of a retirement plan termination or restructuring;

7.Shares transferred from one retirement plan to another retirement plan in the same fund;*

8.Shares converted from one share class to another share class of the same fund;*

9.Shares redeemed by a fund (e.g. for failure to meet account minimums or to cover various fees such as fiduciary fees);

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10.Shares purchased by rollover and changes of account registration within the same fund;*

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11.Shares redeemed to return an excess contribution in an IRA account;

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12.Shares purchased by a fund-of-fund product, if approved in writing by T. Rowe Price;

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13.Shares transferred to T. Rowe Price or a third party intermediary acting as a service provider when the aged shares are systematically indeterminable;*

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14.Shares redeemed in retirement plans or other products that restrict trading to no more frequently than quarterly, if approved in writing by T. Rowe Price.

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*Subsequent exchanges of these shares into funds that assess redemption fees will be subject to the fee.

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Certain intermediaries may not have the capability to apply the exemptions listed above to the redemption fee policy; all redemptions by persons trading through such intermediaries may be subject to the fee. Persons redeeming shares through an intermediary should check with their respective intermediary to determine which transactions are subject to the fees.

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Useful Information on Distributions and Taxes

All net investment income and realized capital gains are distributed to shareholders.

Dividends and Other Distributions

Dividend and capital gain distributions are reinvested in additional fund shares in your account unless you select another option on your New Account Form. Reinvesting distributions results in compounding, that is, receiving income dividends and capital gain distributions on a rising number of shares.

No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distributions or redemption checks.

The following table provides details on dividend payments:

Table 4 Dividend Payment Schedule

Fund	Dividends
Bond funds	Shares normally begin to earn dividends on the business day after payment is received.Declared daily and paid on the first business day of each month.
Equity Income Fund — Advisor Class	Declared quarterly, if any, in March, June, September, and December.Must be a shareholder on the record date.
Other stock funds	Declared annually, if any, generally in December.Must be a shareholder on the record date.
Retirement Funds:Retirement Income Fund — Advisor ClassAll others	Shares normally begin to earn dividends on the business day after payment is received.Paid on the first business day of each month.Declared annually, if any, generally in December.Must be a shareholder on the record date.

Capital gains payments

A capital gain or loss is the difference between the purchase and sale price
of a security.

If a fund has net capital gains for the year (after subtracting any capital losses), they are usually declared and paid in December to shareholders of record on a specified date that month. If a second distribution is necessary, it is paid the following year.

Tax Information

You should contact your intermediary for the tax information that will be sent to you and reported to the IRS.

If you invest in the fund through a tax-deferred retirement account, you will not be subject to tax on dividends and distributions from the fund or the sale of fund shares if those amounts remain in the tax-deferred account.

If you invest in the fund through a taxable account, you will generally be subject to tax when:

You sell fund shares, including an exchange from one fund to another.

The fund makes a distribution to your account.

For individual shareholders, a portion of ordinary dividends representing "qualified dividends" received by the fund may be subject to tax at the lower rate applicable to long-term capital gains, rather than ordinary income. You may report it as a qualifying dividend in computing your taxes provided you have held the fund shares on which the dividend was paid for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date. Ordinary dividends that do not qualify for this lower rate are generally taxable at the investor`s marginal income tax rate. This includes the portion of ordinary dividends derived from interest, short-term gains, distributions from certain nonqualified foreign corporations, and dividends received by the fund from stocks that were on loan. Little, if any, of the ordinary dividends paid by the Real Estate Fund—Advisor Class or the bond fund Advisor Classes are expected to qualify for this lower rate.

For corporate shareholders, a portion of ordinary dividends may be eligible for the 70% deduction for dividends received by corporations to the extent the fund`s income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations. Little, if any, of the ordinary dividends paid by the international or bond fund Advisor Classes are expected to qualify for this deduction.

Note: Regular monthly dividends you receive from the Tax-Free Income Fund—Advisor Class are expected to be exempt from federal income taxes. Exemption is not guaranteed since the fund has the right under certain conditions to invest in nonexempt securities. You must report your total tax-exempt income on IRS Form 1040. The IRS uses this information to help determine the tax status of any Social Security payments you may have received during the year. Tax-exempt dividends paid to Social Security recipients may increase the portion of benefits that are subject to tax.

If the Tax-Free Income Fund invests in certain "private activity" bonds, shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) must include income generated by these bonds in their AMT computation. The portion of this fund`s income dividend that should be included in your AMT calculation, if any, will be reported to you in January.

Taxes on fund redemptions

When you sell shares in any fund, you may realize a gain or loss. An exchange from one fund to another is a sale for tax purposes.

Taxes on fund distributions

The tax treatment of a capital gain distribution is determined by how long the fund held the portfolio securities, not how long you held shares in the fund. Short-term (one year or less) capital gain distributions are taxable at the same rate as ordinary income, and gains on securities held more than 12 months are taxed at the lower rates applicable to long-term capital gains. If you realized a loss on the sale or exchange of fund shares that you held six months or less, your short-term loss must be reclassified as a long-term loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received during the period you held the shares. If you realize a loss on the sale or exchange of Tax-Free Income Fund—Advisor Class shares held six months or less, your capital loss is reduced by the tax-exempt dividends received on those shares. For funds investing in foreign securities, distributions resulting from the sale of certain foreign currencies, currency contracts, and the currency portion of gains on debt securities are taxed as ordinary income. Net foreign currency losses may cause monthly or quarterly dividends to be reclassified as a return of capital.

If the fund qualifies and elects to pass through nonrefundable foreign taxes paid to foreign governments during the year, your portion of such taxes will be reported to you as taxable income. However, you may be able to claim an
offsetting credit or deduction on your tax return for those amounts. There can be no assurance that a fund will be able to meet the requirements to pass through foreign income taxes paid. For the Tax-Free Income Fund—Advisor Class, gains realized on the sale of market discount bonds with maturities beyond one year may be treated as ordinary income and cannot be offset by other capital losses. To the extent the fund invests in these securities, the likelihood of a taxable gain distribution will be increased.

Retirement Funds

Distributions by the underlying funds and changes in asset allocations may result in taxable distributions of ordinary income or capital gains.

Tax consequences of hedging

Entering into certain options, futures, swaps, and forward foreign exchange contracts and transactions may result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. These provisions could result in a fund being required to distribute gains on such transactions even though it did not close the contracts during the year or receive cash to pay such distributions. The fund may not be able to reduce its distributions for losses on such transactions to the extent of unrealized gains in offsetting positions.

Distributions are taxable whether reinvested in additional shares or received in cash.

Tax effect of buying shares before a capital gain or dividend distribution

If you buy shares shortly before or on the "record date" — the date that establishes you as the person to receive the upcoming distribution — you may receive a portion of the money you just invested in the form of a taxable distribution. Therefore, you may wish to find out a fund`s record date before investing. Of course, a fund`s share price may, at any time, reflect undistributed capital gains or income and unrealized appreciation, which may result in future taxable distributions. Such distributions can occur even in a year when the fund has a negative return.

Transaction Procedures and Special Requirements

Purchase Conditions for Intermediaries

Nonpayment

If the fund receives a check or ACH transfer that does not clear or the payment is not received in a timely manner, your purchase may be canceled. The intermediary will be responsible for any losses or expenses incurred by the fund or transfer agent. The fund and its agents have the right to reject or cancel any purchase, exchange, or redemption due to nonpayment.

U.S. dollars

All purchases must be paid for in U.S. dollars; checks must be drawn on U.S. banks.

Sale (Redemption) Conditions

Holds on immediate redemptions: 10-day hold

If an intermediary sells shares that it just purchased and paid for by check or ACH transfer, the fund will process the redemption but will generally delay sending the proceeds for up to 10 calendar days to allow the check or transfer to clear. (The 10-day hold does not apply to purchases paid for by bank wire.)

Redemptions over $250,000

Large redemptions can adversely affect a portfolio manager`s ability to implement a fund`s investment strategy by causing the premature sale of securities that would otherwise be held. If, in any 90-day period, you redeem (sell) more than $250,000, or your sale amounts to more than 1% of fund net assets, the fund has the right to pay the difference between the redemption amount and the lesser of the two previously mentioned figures with securities from the fund.

Excessive Trading and Market Timing

T. Rowe Price may bar excessive and short-term traders from purchasing shares.

Excessive or short-term trading in fund shares may disrupt management of a fund and raise its costs. While there is no assurance that T. Rowe Price can prevent all excessive and short-term trading, the Board of Directors/Trustees has adopted the policy set forth below to deter such activity. Persons trading directly with T. Rowe Price or indirectly through intermediaries in violation of this policy or persons believed to be short-term traders may be barred for 90 calendar days or permanently from further purchases of the Price funds. Purchase transactions placed by such persons are subject to rejection without notice.

All persons purchasing shares held directly with a T. Rowe Price fund, or through a retirement plan for which T. Rowe Price serves as recordkeeper, who make more than one purchase and one sale or one sale and one purchase involving the same fund within any 90-day calendar period will violate the policy.

All persons purchasing fund shares held through an intermediary, including a broker, bank, investment adviser, recordkeeper, insurance company, or other third party, and who hold the shares for less than 90 calendar days, will violate the policy.

Intermediaries often establish omnibus accounts in the T. Rowe Price funds for their customers. In such situations, T. Rowe Price cannot always monitor trading activity by individual shareholders. However, T. Rowe Price reviews trading activity at the omnibus account level and looks for activity that indicates potential excessive or shortterm trading. If it detects suspicious trading activity, T. Rowe Price contacts the intermediary to determine whether the excessive trading policy has been violated and, if so, asks the intermediary to take action to restrict transactions by the underlying shareholder in accordance with the policy.

The following types of transactions are exempt from this policy: 1) trades solely in money market funds (exchanges between a money fund and a nonmoney fund are not exempt); 2) systematic purchases and redemptions; 3) checkwriting redemptions from bond and money funds; and 4) for retirement plan participants, payroll contributions, withdrawals, and loans.

In addition, transactions in automated, nondiscretionary rebalancing, asset allocation programs, or fund-of-fund products may be exempt from the excessive trading policy subject to prior written approval by designated persons at T. Rowe Price.

T. Rowe Price may modify the 90-day policy set forth above (for example, in situations where a retirement plan with multiple investment options imposes a uniform restriction on trading in the plan that differs from the T. Rowe Price

fund`s policy). These modifications would be authorized only if the fund determines, in its discretion, that the modified policy provides protection to the fund that is substantially equivalent to the fund`s regular policy.

Signature Guarantees

An intermediary may need to obtain a signature guarantee in certain situations and should consult its T. Rowe Price Financial Institution Services representative.

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, savings institutions,
broker-dealers, and other guarantors acceptable to T. Rowe Price. We cannot accept guarantees from notaries public or organizations that do not provide reimbursement in the case of fraud.

distribution, shareholder servicing, and recordkeeping fees

The Advisor Class has adopted a 12b-1 plan under which it pays a fee at the rate of up to 0.25% of its daily net assets per year to various intermediaries for distribution and servicing of its shares. These payments may be more or less than the costs incurred by the intermediaries. Because the fees are paid from the Advisor Class net assets on an ongoing basis, they will increase the cost of your investment and, over time, could result in your paying more than with other types of sales charges. The Advisor Class may also separately compensate intermediaries at a rate of up to 0.10% of daily net assets per year for various recordkeeping and transfer agent services they perform.

More About the Fund 3

Organization and Management

How is the fund organized?

The fund was incorporated in Maryland in 1983 and is an "open-end investment company," or mutual fund. Mutual funds pool money received from shareholders and invest it to try to achieve specified objectives. In 2004, the fund issued a separate class of shares known as the Advisor Class.

Shareholders benefit from T. Rowe Price`s 67 years of investment management experience.

What is meant by "shares"?

As with all mutual funds, investors purchase shares when they put money in a fund. These shares are part of a fund`s authorized capital stock, but share certificates are not issued.

Each share and fractional share entitles the shareholder to:

Receive a proportional interest in income and capital gain distributions of the class. The income dividends for Advisor Class shares will generally differ from those of the original class to the extent that the expense ratios of the classes differ.

Cast one vote per share on certain fund matters, including the election of fund directors/trustees, changes in fundamental policies, or approval of changes in the fund`s management contract. Shareholders of each class have exclusive voting rights on matters affecting only that class.

Do T. Rowe Price funds have annual shareholder meetings?

The funds are not required to hold annual meetings and, to avoid unnecessary costs to fund shareholders, do not do so except when certain matters, such as a change in fundamental policies, must be decided. In addition, shareholders representing at least 10% of all eligible votes may call a special meeting, if they wish, for the purpose of voting on the removal of any fund director or trustee.
If a meeting is held and you cannot attend, you can vote by proxy. Before the meeting, the fund will send you proxy materials that explain the issues to be decided and include instructions on voting by mail or telephone, or on the Internet.

Who runs the fund?

General Oversight

The fund is governed by a Board of Directors/Trustees that meets regularly to review fund investments, performance, expenses, and other business affairs. The Board elects the fund`s officers. The majority of Board members are independent of T. Rowe Price.

All decisions regarding the purchase and sale of fund investments are made by T. Rowe Price — specifically by the fund`s portfolio managers.

Portfolio Management

The fund has an Investment Advisory Committee with the following members: Edward A. Wiese, Chairman, Connice A. Bavely, Steven G. Brooks, Jennifer A. Callaghan, Charles B. Hill, Cheryl A. Mickel, and Vernon A. Reid, Jr. The committee chairman has day-to-day responsibility for managing the portfolio and works with the committee in developing and executing the fund`s investment program. Mr. Wiese has been chairman of the committee since 1995. He joined T. Rowe Price in 1984 and has been managing investments since 1985.

The Management Fee

This fee has two parts — an "individual fund fee," which reflects a fund`s particular characteristics, and a "group fee." The group fee, which is designed to reflect the benefits of the shared resources of the T. Rowe Price investment management complex, is calculated daily based on the combined net assets of all T. Rowe Price funds (except the Spectrum Funds, Retirement Funds, Reserve Investment Funds, and any index or private label mutual funds). The group fee schedule (shown below) is graduated, declining as the asset total rises, so shareholders benefit from the overall growth in mutual fund assets.

Group Fee Schedule

0.334%*	First $50 billion

0.305%	Next $30 billion

0.300%	Next $40 billion

0.295%	Thereafter

*Represents a blended group fee rate containing various breakpoints.

The fund`s portion of the group fee is determined by the ratio of its daily net assets to the daily net assets of all the T. Rowe Price funds described previously. Based on combined T. Rowe Price fund assets of over $131 billion at October 29, 2004, the group fee was 0.31%. The individual fund fee is 0.10%.

Understanding Performance Information

This section should help you understand the terms used to describe fund performance.

Total Return

This tells you how much an investment has changed in value over a given period. It reflects any net increase or decrease in the share price and assumes that all dividends and capital gains (if any) paid during the period were reinvested in additional shares. Therefore, total return numbers include the effect of compounding.

Advertisements may include cumulative or average annual total return figures, which may be compared with various indices, other performance measures, or other mutual funds.

Cumulative Total Return

This is the actual return of an investment for a specified period. A cumulative return does not indicate how much the value of the investment may have fluctuated during the period. For example, an investment could have a 10-year positive cumulative return despite experiencing some negative years during that time.

Average Annual Total Return

This is always hypothetical and should not be confused with actual year-by-year results. It smooths out all the variations in annual performance to tell you what constant year-by-year return would have produced the investment`s actual cumulative return. This gives you an idea of an investment`s annual contribution to your portfolio, provided you held it for the entire period.

Yield

The current or "dividend" yield on a fund or any investment tells you the relationship between the investment`s current level of annual income and its price on a particular day. The dividend yield reflects the actual income paid to shareholders for a given period, annualized and divided by the price at the end of the period. For example, a fund providing $5 of annual income per share and a price of $50 has a current yield of 10%. Yields can be calculated for any time period.

For bond funds, the advertised or SEC yield is found by determining the net income per share (as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission) earned by a fund during a 30-day base period and dividing this amount by the share price on the last day of the base period. The SEC yield—also called the
standardized yield—may differ from the dividend yield.

Investment Policies and Practices

This section takes a detailed look at some of the types of fund securities and the various kinds of investment practices that may be used in day-to-day portfolio management. Fund investments are subject to further restrictions and risks described in the Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder approval is required to substantively change fund objectives. Shareholder approval is also required to change certain investment restrictions noted in the following section as "fundamental policies." The managers also follow certain "operating policies" that can be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholders will receive at least 60 days` prior notice of any change in the policy requiring the fund to normally invest at least 80% of net assets in bonds. Fund investment restrictions and policies apply at the time of purchase. A later change in circumstances will not require the sale of an investment if it was proper at the time it was made. (This exception does not apply to the fund`s borrowing policy.)

Fund holdings of certain kinds of investments cannot exceed maximum percentages of total assets, which are set forth in this prospectus. For instance, fund investments in certain derivatives are limited to 10% of total assets. While these restrictions provide a useful level of detail about fund investments, investors should not view them as an accurate gauge of the potential risk of such investments. For example, in a given period, a 5% investment in derivatives could have significantly more of an impact on a fund`s share price than its weighting in the portfolio. The net effect of a particular investment depends on its volatility and the size of its overall return in relation to the performance of all other fund investments.

Changes in fund holdings, fund performance, and the contribution of various investments are discussed in the shareholder reports sent to you.

Fund managers have considerable leeway in choosing investment strategies and selecting securities they believe will help achieve fund objectives.

Types of Portfolio Securities

In seeking to meet its investment objective, fund investments may be made in any type of security or instrument (including certain potentially high-risk derivatives described in this section) whose investment characteristics are consistent with its investment program. The following pages describe various types of fund securities and investment management practices.

Fundamental policy The fund will not purchase a security if, as a result, with respect to 75% of its total assets, more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in securities of a single issuer or more than 10% of the outstanding vot

ing securities of the issuer would be held by the fund. These limitations do not apply to the fund`s purchase of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or instrumentalities.

Bonds

A bond is an interest-bearing security. The issuer has a contractual obligation to pay interest at a stated rate on specific dates and to repay principal (the bond`s face value) on a specified date. An issuer may have the right to redeem or "call" a bond before maturity, and the investor may have to reinvest the proceeds at lower market rates.

A bond`s annual interest income, set by its coupon rate, is usually fixed for the life of the bond. Its yield (income as a percent of current price) will fluctuate to reflect changes in interest rate levels. A bond`s price usually rises when interest rates fall, and vice versa, so its yield stays consistent with current market conditions.

Conventional fixed-rate bonds offer a coupon rate for a fixed maturity with no adjustment for inflation. Real rate of return bonds also offer a fixed coupon but include ongoing inflation adjustments for the life of the bond.

Bonds may be unsecured (backed by the issuer`s general creditworthiness only) or secured (also backed by specified collateral). Bonds include asset- and mortgage-backed securities.

Certain bonds have interest rates that are adjusted periodically. These interest rate adjustments tend to minimize fluctuations in the bonds` principal values. The maturity of those securities may be shortened under certain specified conditions.

Bonds may be designated as senior or subordinated obligations. Senior obligations generally have the first claim on a corporation`s earnings and assets and, in the event of liquidation, are paid before subordinated debt.

Bond ratings are not guarantees. They are estimates of an issuer`s financial strength. Ratings can change at any time due to real or perceived changes in an issuer`s credit or financial fundamentals.

Foreign Securities

Investments may be made in foreign securities. These include nondollar-denominated securities traded outside of the U.S. and dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers traded in the U.S. (such as Yankee bonds). Investing in foreign securities involves special risks that can increase the potential for losses. These include: exposure to potentially adverse local, political, and economic developments such as war, political instability, hyperinflation, currency devaluations, and overdependence on particular industries; government interference in markets such as nationalization and exchange controls,

expropriation of assets, or imposition of punitive taxes; potentially lower liquidity and higher volatility; possible problems arising from accounting, disclosure, settlement, and regulatory practices and legal rights that differ from U.S. standards; and the chance that fluctuations in foreign exchange rates will decrease the investment`s value (favorable changes can increase its value). These risks are heightened for investments in developing countries.

Operating policy There is no limit on fund investments in U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities issued by foreign issuers, foreign branches of U.S. banks, and U.S. branches of foreign banks. The fund may also invest up to 10% of total assets (excluding reserves) in non-U.S. dollar-denominated fixed-income securities.

Asset-Backed Securities

An underlying pool of assets, such as credit card or automobile trade receivables or corporate loans or bonds, backs these bonds and provides the interest and principal payments to investors. On occasion, the pool of assets may also include a swap obligation, which is used to change the cash flows on the underlying assets. As an example, a swap may be used to allow floating rate assets to back a fixed-rate obligation. Credit quality depends primarily on the quality of the underlying assets, the level of credit support, if any, provided by the structure or by a third-party insurance wrap, and the credit quality of the swap counterparty, if any. The underlying assets (i.e., loans) are sometimes subject to prepayments, which can shorten the security`s weighted average life and may lower its return. The value of these securities also may change because of actual or perceived changes in the creditworthiness of the individual borrowers, the originator, the servicing agent, the financial institution providing the credit support, or the swap counterparty. There is no limit on fund investments in these securities.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

The fund may invest in a variety of mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage lenders pool individual home mortgages with similar characteristics to back a certificate or bond, which is sold to investors such as the fund. Interest and principal payments generated by the underlying mortgages are passed through to the investors. The "big three" issuers are the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). GNMA certificates are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, while others, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates, are only supported by the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the credit of the agency. Private mortgage bankers and other institutions also issue mortgage-backed securities.

Mortgage-backed securities are subject to scheduled and unscheduled principal payments as homeowners pay down or prepay their mortgages. As these payments are received, they must be reinvested when interest rates may be higher or lower than on the original mortgage security. Therefore, these securities are not an effective means of locking in long-term interest rates. In addition, when interest rates fall, the pace of mortgage prepayments picks up. These refinanced mortgages are paid off at face value (par), causing a loss for any investor who may have purchased the security at a price above par. In such an environment, this risk limits the potential price appreciation of these securities and can negatively affect the fund`s net asset value. When rates rise, the prices of mortgage-backed securities can be expected to decline, although historically these securities have experienced smaller price declines than comparable quality bonds. In addition, when rates rise and prepayments slow, the effective duration of mortgage-backed securities extends, resulting in increased volatility.

Operating policy There is no limit on fund investments in mortgage-backed securities.

Additional mortgage-backed securities in which the fund may invest include:

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) CMOs are debt securities that are fully collateralized by a portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-backed securities. All interest and principal payments from the underlying mortgages are passed through to the CMOs in such a way as to create some classes with more stable average lives than the underlying mortgages and other classes with more volatile average lives. CMO classes may pay fixed or variable rates of interest, and certain classes have priority over others with respect to the receipt of prepayments.

Stripped Mortgage Securities Stripped mortgage securities (a type of potentially high-risk derivative) are created by separating the interest and principal payments generated by a pool of mortgage-backed securities or a CMO to create additional classes of securities. Generally, one class receives only interest payments (IOs), and another receives principal payments (POs). Unlike with other mortgage-backed securities and POs, the value of IOs tends to move in the same direction as interest rates. The fund can use IOs as a hedge against falling prepayment rates (interest rates are rising) and/or a bear market environment. POs can be used as a hedge against rising prepayment rates (interest rates are falling) and/or a bull market environment. IOs and POs are acutely sensitive to interest rate changes and to the rate of principal prepayments.

A rapid or unexpected increase in prepayments can severely depress the price of IOs, while a rapid or unexpected decrease in prepayments could have the same effect on POs. Of course, under the opposite conditions these securities may appreciate in value. These securities can be very volatile in price and may have lower liquidity than most other mortgage-backed securities. Certain non-stripped

CMO classes may also exhibit these qualities, especially those that pay variable rates of interest that adjust inversely with, and more rapidly than, short-term interest rates. In addition, if interest rates rise rapidly and prepayment rates slow more than expected, certain CMO classes, in addition to losing value, can exhibit characteristics of longer-term securities and become more volatile. There is no guarantee that fund investments in CMOs, IOs, or POs will be successful, and fund total return could be adversely affected as a result.

Operating policy Fund investments in stripped mortgage securities are limited to 10% of total assets.

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMBS) CMBS are securities created from a pool of commercial mortgage loans, such as loans for hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, apartment buildings, etc. Interest and principal payments from the loans are passed on to the investor according to a schedule of payments. Credit quality depends primarily on the quality of the loans themselves and on the structure of the particular deal. Generally, deals are structured with senior and subordinate classes. The amount of subordination is determined by the rating agencies who rate the individual classes of the structure. Commercial mortgages are generally structured with prepayment penalties, which greatly reduces prepayment risk to the investor. However, the value of these securities may change because of actual or perceived changes in the creditworthiness of the individual borrowers, their tenants, the servicing agents, or the general state of commercial real estate. There is no limit on fund investments in these securities.

Hybrid Instruments

These instruments (a type of potentially high-risk derivative) can combine the characteristics of securities, futures, and options. For example, the principal amount or interest rate of a hybrid could be tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency, or securities index or another interest rate (each a "benchmark"). Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging, duration management, and increased total return. Hybrids may or may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrid. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the net asset value of the fund.

Hybrids can have volatile prices and limited liquidity, and their use may not be successful.

Operating policy Fund investments in hybrid instruments are limited to 10% of total assets.

Deferrable Subordinated Securities

These are securities with long maturities that are deeply subordinated in the issuer`s capital structure. They generally have 30-year maturities and permit the issuer to defer distributions for up to five years. These characteristics give the issuer more financial flexibility than is typically the case with traditional bonds. As a result, the securities may be viewed as possessing certain "equity-like" features by rating agencies and bank regulators. However, the securities are treated as debt securities by market participants, and the fund intends to treat them as such as well. These securities may offer a mandatory put or remarketing option that creates an effective maturity date significantly shorter than the stated one. Fund investments will be made in these securities to the extent their yield, credit, and maturity characteristics are consistent with the fund`s investment objective and program.

Private Placements

These securities are sold directly to a small number of investors, usually institutions. Unlike public offerings, such securities are not registered with the SEC. Although certain of these securities may be readily sold, for example, under Rule 144A, others may be illiquid, and their sale may involve substantial delays and additional costs.

Operating policy Fund investments in illiquid securities are limited to 15% of net assets.

Banking Industry

The fund may, under certain circumstances, invest a substantial amount of its assets in the banking industry. Investments in the banking industry may be affected by general economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. T. Rowe Price believes that any risk to the fund which might result from concentrating in the banking industry will be minimized by diversification of the fund`s investments and T. Rowe Price`s credit research.

Fundamental policy The fund will normally concentrate 25% or more of its assets in the securities of the banking industry when the fund`s position in issues maturing in one year or less equals 35% or more of the fund`s total assets.

Utility Industry Concentration

The fund may, under certain circumstances, invest a substantial amount of its assets in the utility industry. Investments in this industry may be affected by environmental conditions, energy conservation programs, fuel shortages, availability of capital to finance operations and construction programs, and federal and state legislative and regulatory actions. T. Rowe Price believes that any risk to the fund which might result from concentrating in any such industry will be minimized by diversification of the fund`s investments.

Fundamental policy The fund will, under certain conditions, invest up to 50% of its assets in any one of the following industries: gas utility, gas transmission utility, electric utility, telephone utility, and petroleum.

Types of Investment Management Practices

Reserve Position

A certain portion of fund assets will be held in money market reserves. Fund reserve positions are expected to consist primarily of shares of one or both T. Rowe Price internal money market funds. Short-term, high-quality U.S. and foreign dollar-denominated money market securities, including repurchase agreements, may also be held. For temporary, defensive purposes, there is no limit on fund investments in money market reserves. Significant investments in reserves could compromise the ability to achieve fund objectives. The reserve position provides flexibility in meeting redemptions, paying expenses, and in the timing of new investments and can serve as a short-term defense during periods of unusual market volatility.

Borrowing Money and Transferring Assets

Fund borrowings may be made from banks and other T. Rowe Price funds for temporary emergency purposes to facilitate redemption requests, or for other purposes consistent with fund policies as set forth in this prospectus. Such borrowings may be collateralized with fund assets, subject to restrictions.

Fundamental policy Borrowings may not exceed 33 1/3% of total assets.

Operating policy Fund transfers of portfolio securities as collateral will not be made except as necessary in connection with permissible borrowings or investments, and then such transfers may not exceed 33 1/3% of total assets. Fund purchases of additional securities will not be made when borrowings exceed 5% of total assets.

Futures and Options

Futures, a type of potentially high-risk derivative, are often used to manage or hedge risk because they enable the investor to buy or sell an asset in the future at an agreed-upon price. Options, another type of potentially high-risk derivative, give the investor the right (where the investor purchases the option), or the obli

gation (where the investor "writes" or sells the option), to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price in the future. Futures and options contracts may be bought or sold for any number of reasons, including: to manage exposure to changes in interest rates, bond prices, and foreign currencies; as an efficient means of increasing or decreasing fund overall exposure to a specific part or broad segment of the U.S. market or a foreign market; in an effort to enhance income; to protect the value of portfolio securities; and to serve as a cash management tool. Call or put options may be purchased or sold on securities, financial indices, and foreign currencies.

Futures contracts and options may not always be successful hedges; their prices can be highly volatile; using them could lower fund total return; and the potential loss from the use of futures can exceed a fund`s initial investment in such contracts.

Operating policies Futures: Initial margin deposits on futures and premiums on options used for non-hedging purposes will not exceed 5% of net asset value. Options on securities: The total market value of securities covering call or put options may not exceed 25% of total assets. No more than 5% of total assets will be committed to premiums when purchasing call or put options.

Swaps

Fund investments may be made in interest rate, index, total return, and credit default swap agreements as well as options on swap agreements or swap options. All of these agreements are considered derivatives and, in certain cases, high-risk derivatives. Swap agreements are two-party contracts under which the fund and a counterparty, such as a broker or dealer, agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or indices. Swaps and swap options can be used for a variety of purposes, including: to manage fund exposure to changes in interest rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting fund overall exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration.

There are risks in the use of swaps and swap options. Interest rate and currency swaps could result in losses if interest rate or currency changes are not correctly anticipated by the fund. Total return swaps could result in losses if the reference index, security, or investments do not perform as anticipated. Credit default swaps could result in losses if we do not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the company on which the credit default swap is based. Swaps and swap options may not always be successful hedges; using them could lower fund total return and the other party to a swap agreement could default on its obligations or refuse to cash out a fund`s investment at a reasonable price, which could turn an expected gain into a loss.

Operating policies A swap agreement with any single counterparty will not be entered into if the net amount owed or to be received under existing contracts with that party would exceed 5% of total assets, or if the net amount owed or to be received by the fund under all outstanding swap agreements will exceed 10% of total assets. The total market value of securities covering call or put options may not exceed 25% of total assets. No more than 5% of total assets will be committed to premiums when purchasing call or put options.

Managing Foreign Currency Risk

Investors in foreign securities may attempt to "hedge" their exposure to potentially unfavorable currency changes. The primary means of doing this is through the use of "forwards"— contracts to exchange one currency for another on some future date at a specified exchange rate. However, futures, swaps, and options on these instruments may also be used. In certain circumstances, a different currency may be substituted for the currency in which the investment is denominated, a strategy known as "proxy hedging." The fund may also use these instruments to create a synthetic bond— issued in one currency, but with the currency component transformed into another currency. If the fund were to engage in any of these foreign currency transactions, they would be primarily to protect a fund`s foreign securities from adverse currency movements relative to the dollar. Such transactions involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not occur, which could reduce fund total return. There are certain markets, including many emerging markets, where it is not possible to engage in effective foreign currency hedging.

Operating policy The fund will not commit more than 10% of total assets to any combination of the types of foreign currency instruments described above.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

Fund securities may be lent to broker-dealers, other institutions, or other persons to earn additional income. Risks include the potential insolvency of the broker-dealer or other borrower that could result in delays in recovering securities and capital losses. Additionally, losses could result from the reinvestment of collateral received on loaned securities in investments that default or do not perform well.

Fundamental policy The value of loaned securities may not exceed 33 1/3% of total assets.

When-Issued Securities and Forwards

The fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis or may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. There is no limit on fund investments in these securities. The price of these securities is fixed at the time of the commitment to buy, but delivery and payment can take place a month or more later. During the interim period, the market value of the securities can fluctuate, and no interest accrues to the purchaser. At the time of deliv

ery, the value of the securities may be more or less than the purchase or sale price. To the extent the fund remains fully or almost fully invested (in securities with a remaining maturity of more than one year) at the same time it purchases these securities, there will be greater fluctuations in the fund`s net asset value than if the fund did not purchase them.

Portfolio Turnover

Turnover is an indication of frequency of trading. We will not generally trade in securities for short-term profits, but, when circumstances warrant, securities may be purchased and sold without regard to the length of time held. Each time the fund purchases or sells a security, it incurs a cost. This cost is reflected in the fund`s net asset value but not in its operating expenses. The higher the turnover rate, the higher the transaction costs and the greater the impact on the fund`s total return. Higher turnover can also increase the possibility of taxable capital gain distributions.

Funds investing in bonds may have higher turnover than funds investing in stocks. Unlike stocks, fixed-maturity bonds require reinvestment. For funds investing in mortgages and callable debt, frequent reinvestment of principal is often required. Common trading strategies, such as mortgage dollar rolls, can increase turnover. Active investment strategies, such as sector rotation and duration management, also necessitate more frequent trading. The fund`s portfolio turnover rates are shown in the Financial Highlights table.

Disclosure of Fund Portfolio Information

The fund`s portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders as well as Form N-Q which is filed with the SEC within 60 days of the fund`s first and third fiscal quarter-end. In addition, the fund discloses its calendar quarter-end portfolio holdings on troweprice.com 15 calendar days after each quarter. Under certain conditions, up to 5% of the fund`s holdings may be included in this portfolio list without being individually identified. Generally, securities would be omitted from the list if they are being actively bought or sold and it is determined that the quarter-end disclosure of the holding could be harmful to the fund. A security will not be omitted from the list for more than one year. The fund also discloses its largest 10 holdings seven days after each month-end. These holdings are listed in alphabetical order along with the aggregate percentage of the fund`s total assets they represent. The quarter-end portfolio will remain on the Website for one year. The top 10 list is replaced every six months.

Financial Highlights

Short-Term Bond Fund— Advisor Class first issued shares on December 31, 2004, and therefore has no financial history. As a point of comparison, however, Table 5 provides historical information about Short-Term Bond Fund because Short-Term Bond Fund— Advisor Class participates in the fund`s management program and investment portfolio. (Prior to the inception of Short-Term Bond Fund— Advisor Class, Short-Term Bond Fund had only a single class.) This information is based on a single share of Short-Term Bond Fund outstanding throughout the periods shown.

This table is part of Short-Term Bond Fund`s financial statements, which are included in its annual report and are incorporated by reference into the Statement of Additional Information (available upon request). The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and no payment of account or [if applicable] redemptions fees). The financial statements in the annual report were audited by the fund`s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Had Short-Term Bond Fund —Advisor Class existed during the periods reflected in the table, some financial information would be different because of its higher anticipated expense ratio.

Table 5 Financial Highlights

	Year ended May 31
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004

Net asset value,beginning of period	$4.63	$4.52	$4.71	$4.75	$4.87
Income From Investment Operations
Net investment income	0.26	0.28a	0.25a	0.19a	0.14a
Net gains or losses on securities (both realized and unrealized)	(0.11)	0.19	0.04	0.12	(0.11)
Total from investment operations	0.15	0.47	0.29	0.31	0.03
Less Distributions
Dividends (from net investment income)	(0.26)	(0.28)	(0.25)	(0.19)	(0.14)
Distributions (fromcapital gains)	—	—	—	—	—
Returns of capital	—	—	—	—	—
Total distributions	(0.26)	(0.28)	(0.25)	(0.19)	(0.14)
Net asset value,end of period	$4.52	$4.71	$4.75	$4.87	$4.76
Total return	3.39%	10.61%a	6.24%a	6.74%a	0.54%a
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of period (in millions)	$287	$469	$696	$1,052	$1,596
Ratio of expenses to average net assets	0.72%	0.59%a	0.55%a	0.55%a	0.55%a
Ratio of net income to average net assets	5.74%	5.99%a	5.11%a	3.85%a	2.67%a
Portfolio turnover rate	50.7%	77.6%b	49.9%	110.1%	69.5%

aExcludes expenses in excess of a 0.55% contractual expense limitation in effect through September 30, 2004.

bExcludes the effect of the acquisition of Summit Limited-Term Bond Fund`s and Short-Term U.S. Government Fund`s assets.

Investing With T. Rowe Price 4

Account Requirements and Transaction Information

The information in this section is for use by intermediaries only. Shareholders should contact their intermediary for information regarding the intermediary`s policies on purchasing, exchanging, and redeeming fund shares as well as initial and subsequent investment minimums.

Tax Identification
Number

The intermediary must provide us with its certified Social Security or tax identification number (TIN). Otherwise, federal law requires the funds to withhold a percentage of dividends, capital gain distributions, and redemptions, and may subject the intermediary or account holder to an IRS fine. If this information is not received within 60 days after the account is established, the account may be redeemed at the fund`s net asset value (NAV) on the redemption date.

All initial and subsequent investments by intermediaries must be made by bank wire.

Opening a New Account

$2,500 minimum initial investment; $1,000 for retirement plans or gifts or transfers to minors (UGMA/UTMA) accounts

Important Information About Opening an Account

Pursuant to federal law, all financial institutions must obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or entity that opens an account.

When you open an account, you will be asked for the name, residential street address, date of birth, and Social Security number or tax identification number for each account owner and person(s) opening an account on behalf of others, such as custodians, agents, trustees, or other authorized signers. Entities are also required to provide documents such as articles of incorporation, partnership agreements, trust documents, and other applicable documents.

We will use this information to verify the identity of the person(s)/entity opening the account. We will not be able to open your account until we receive all of this

information. If we are unable to verify your identity, we are authorized to take any action permitted by law. (See Rights Reserved by the Funds.)

Intermediaries should call Financial Institution Services for an account number and assignment to a dedicated service representative and give the following wire information to their bank:

Receiving Bank:  PNC Bank, N.A. (Pittsburgh)
Receiving Bank ABA#:  043000096
Beneficiary:  T. Rowe Price [fund name]
Beneficiary Account:  1004397951
Originator to Beneficiary Information (OBI):
name of owner(s) and account number

In order to obtain an account number, the intermediary must supply the name, Social Security or employer identification number, and business street address for the account.

Intermediaries should complete a New Account Form and mail it to one of the appropriate addresses listed below. Intermediaries must also enter into a separate agreement with the fund or its agent.

via U.S. Postal Service

T. Rowe Price Financial Institution Services
P.O. Box 17603
Baltimore, MD 21297-1603

via private carriers/overnight services

T. Rowe Price Financial Institution Services
Mail Code: OM-4232
4515 Painters Mill Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117-4842

Purchasing Additional ShareS

$100 minimum additional purchase; $50 minimum for retirement plans, Automatic Asset Builder, and gifts or transfers to minors (UGMA/UTMA) accounts

By Wire

Intermediaries should call Financial Institution Services or use the wire instructions listed in Opening a New Account.

Exchanging and redeeming ShareS

Exchange Service

You can move money from one account to an existing identically registered account or open a new identically registered account. Intermediaries should call their Financial Institution Services representative.

Redemptions

Unless otherwise indicated, redemption proceeds will be wired to the intermediary`s designated bank. Intermediaries should contact their Financial Institution Services representative.

Some of the T. Rowe Price Advisor Classes may impose a redemption fee. Check the fund`s prospectus. The fee is paid to the fund.

Rights Reserved by the Funds

T. Rowe Price funds and their agents reserve the following rights: (1) to waive or lower investment minimums; (2) to accept initial purchases by telephone or mailgram; (3) to refuse any purchase or exchange order; (4) to cease offering fund shares at any time to all or certain groups of investors; (5) to freeze any account and suspend account services when notice has been received of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners or there is reason to believe a fraudulent transaction may occur; (6) to otherwise modify the conditions of purchase and any services at any time; (7) to waive any wire, small account, maintenance, or fiduciary fees charged to a group of shareholders; (8) to act on instructions reasonably believed to be genuine; and (9) to involuntarily redeem your account at the net asset value calculated the day the account is redeemed, in cases of threatening conduct, suspected fraudulent or illegal

activity, or if the fund or its agent is unable, through its procedures, to verify the identity of the person(s) or entity opening an account.

These actions will be taken when, in the sole discretion of management, they are deemed to be in the best interest of the fund or if required by law.

In an effort to protect T. Rowe Price funds from the possible adverse effects of a substantial redemption in a large account, as a matter of general policy, no shareholder or group of shareholders controlled by the same person or group of persons will knowingly be permitted to purchase in excess of 5% of the outstanding shares of a fund, except upon approval of the fund`s management.

T. rowe price Privacy Policy

In the course of doing business with T. Rowe Price, you share personal and financial information with us. We treat this information as confidential and recognize the importance of protecting access to it.

You may provide information when communicating or transacting with us in writing, electronically, or by phone. For instance, information may come from applications, requests for forms or literature, and your transactions and account positions with us. On occasion, such information may come from consumer reporting agencies and those providing services to us.

We do not sell information about current or former customers to any third parties, and we do not disclose it to third parties unless necessary to process a transaction, service an account, or as otherwise permitted by law. We may share information within the T. Rowe Price family of companies in the course of providing or offering products and services to best meet your investing needs. We may also share that information with companies that perform administrative or marketing services for T. Rowe Price, with a research firm we have hired, or with a business partner, such as a bank or insurance company with whom we are developing or offering investment products. When we enter into such a relationship, our contracts restrict the companies` use of our customer information, prohibiting them from sharing or using it for any purposes other than those for which they were hired.

We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect your personal information. Within T. Rowe Price, access to such information is limited to those who need it to perform their jobs, such as servicing your accounts, resolving problems, or informing you of new products or services. Finally, our Code of Ethics, which applies to all employees, restricts the use of customer information and requires that it be held in strict confidence.

___________________________________________________________________

This Privacy Policy applies to the following T. Rowe Price family of companies: T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.; T. Rowe Price Advisory Services, Inc.; T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc.; T. Rowe Price Savings Bank; T. Rowe Price Trust Company; and the T. Rowe Price Funds.

1940 Act File No. 811-3894

E255-040 12/31/04

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
100 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

A fund Statement of Additional Information has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Further information about fund investments, including a review of market conditions and the manager`s recent strategies and their impact on performance, is available in the annual and semiannual shareholder reports. To obtain free copies of any of these documents, call your intermediary.

Fund information and Statements of Additional Information are also available from the Public Reference Room of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-942-8090. Fund reports and other fund information are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC`s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference Room, Washington D.C. 20549-0102.

1940 Act File No. 811-3894

E255-040 12/31/04

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
100 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202